-
The Complete Art of World Building
- Narrated by: Randy Ellefson
- Length: 23 hrs and 21 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $29.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Creating a unique, immersive setting one world at a time.
A guide for authors, gamers, and hobbyists.
The Complete Art of World Building brings together volumes one through three in The Art of World Building series. This how-to guide will make listeners a master of inventing imaginary worlds and help a setting stand out from the multitude of fantasy and SF worlds audiences see.
Creating Life (book one) teaches listeners how to create gods, species, races, plants, animals, monsters, world figures, and even undead.
Creating Places (book two) teaches how to create planets, moons, continents, land features, bodies of water, sovereign powers, settlements, interesting locales, and maps. Learn the different government types, how climate impacts vegetation, and consistently calculate how long it takes to travel by horse, wagon, sailing vessels, dragon, or in space.
Cultures and Beyond (book three) teaches how to create cultures, organizations, armed forces, religions, the supernatural, magic systems, technological and supernatural items, languages, names, and various systems our world will have, from health, educational, legal, and commerce, to information systems.
The series draws on author Randy Ellefson’s quarter century of world building experience, and will quickly turn a beginner into an expert, making a time-consuming project more fun, easier, and faster. Ellefson shares his experiences, lessons learned, and insights, including how much of your creations can realistically be mentioned during storytelling, how far creators should go, and what the benefits/risks to each approach might be. Elevate your work above the competition.
Build better, faster.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Creating Life
- The Art of World Building, Volume 1
- By: Randy Ellefson
- Narrated by: Randy Ellefson
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Creating a unique, immersive setting one life form at a time. This book is a detailed how-to guide on inventing the heart of every imaginary world - life. With chapters on creating gods, species/races, plants, animals, monsters, heroes, villains, and even undead, it draws on the author's quarter century of world building experience. Pointed questions, and an examination of answers and their repercussions, will help readers decide on goals, how to reach them, and whether they are even worth pursuing.
-
-
oh God don't let this guy read his books anymore!
- By Scott Fowler on 07-22-20
By: Randy Ellefson
-
On Writing and Worldbuilding - Volume I
- By: Timothy Hickson
- Narrated by: Larissa Thompson, Merphy Napier
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing advice tends to be full of "rules" and "tips" which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire.
-
-
all hail mishka
- By M. M. on 03-25-21
By: Timothy Hickson
-
The Secrets of Character
- Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character—specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the audience's precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres.
-
-
Leave politics out of it.
- By LKC on 08-22-23
By: Matt Bird
-
Worldbuilding for Fantasy Fans and Authors
- Forging Fantasy Realms, Book 1
- By: M.D. Presley
- Narrated by: Zac Katz-Stein
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Be you an established planner, pantser, or unsure new author, this comprehensive guide has you covered. Adopting a "tools not rules" approach, you’ll discover dozens of definitive worldbuilding tricks and strategies, including surveys showing what audiences want; identifying ineffective, effective, and inspired worldbuilding; the ins and outs of immersion; enhancing audience experience with fantasy conceits; and the four Cs of worldbuilding.
-
-
Stick to storytelling, not audience reaction
- By Historian1912 on 10-12-23
By: M.D. Presley
-
The Science and Technology Five Books Bundle #2
- By: Martin K. Ettington
- Narrated by: Martin K. Ettington
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the second eclectic and fascinating bundle of five books on science and technology all in one volume. Aliens Are Among Us: Aliens have already visited Earth in the past and are here today. This book is a history of alien visits to Earth, and many stories and evidence that aliens are still visiting us today. You may have heard of some of these stories, but you might find something new, too.
-
-
This is the best
- By Ross Frank on 09-24-19
-
The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs
- A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation (Growing Authors Out of Writers)
- By: John S. Warner
- Narrated by: Angus Freathy
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When you think of unforgettable characters from books you’ve read, who comes to mind? James Bond, Harry Potter, Scarlett O’Hara, Elizabeth Bennett, Atticus Finch, Sherlock Holmes? These are just some of the most iconic characters in fiction. They are so memorable that even decades or centuries later, they still captivate our imagination. But what exactly is it about them that keeps generations so invested in them? Writers apply certain rules and tricks with their characters to make their stories shine. With this guide, you’ll find out exactly what they are.
-
-
Great foundations
- By JB9K on 07-18-24
By: John S. Warner
-
Creating Life
- The Art of World Building, Volume 1
- By: Randy Ellefson
- Narrated by: Randy Ellefson
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Creating a unique, immersive setting one life form at a time. This book is a detailed how-to guide on inventing the heart of every imaginary world - life. With chapters on creating gods, species/races, plants, animals, monsters, heroes, villains, and even undead, it draws on the author's quarter century of world building experience. Pointed questions, and an examination of answers and their repercussions, will help readers decide on goals, how to reach them, and whether they are even worth pursuing.
-
-
oh God don't let this guy read his books anymore!
- By Scott Fowler on 07-22-20
By: Randy Ellefson
-
On Writing and Worldbuilding - Volume I
- By: Timothy Hickson
- Narrated by: Larissa Thompson, Merphy Napier
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing advice tends to be full of "rules" and "tips" which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire.
-
-
all hail mishka
- By M. M. on 03-25-21
By: Timothy Hickson
-
The Secrets of Character
- Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character—specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the audience's precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres.
-
-
Leave politics out of it.
- By LKC on 08-22-23
By: Matt Bird
-
Worldbuilding for Fantasy Fans and Authors
- Forging Fantasy Realms, Book 1
- By: M.D. Presley
- Narrated by: Zac Katz-Stein
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Be you an established planner, pantser, or unsure new author, this comprehensive guide has you covered. Adopting a "tools not rules" approach, you’ll discover dozens of definitive worldbuilding tricks and strategies, including surveys showing what audiences want; identifying ineffective, effective, and inspired worldbuilding; the ins and outs of immersion; enhancing audience experience with fantasy conceits; and the four Cs of worldbuilding.
-
-
Stick to storytelling, not audience reaction
- By Historian1912 on 10-12-23
By: M.D. Presley
-
The Science and Technology Five Books Bundle #2
- By: Martin K. Ettington
- Narrated by: Martin K. Ettington
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the second eclectic and fascinating bundle of five books on science and technology all in one volume. Aliens Are Among Us: Aliens have already visited Earth in the past and are here today. This book is a history of alien visits to Earth, and many stories and evidence that aliens are still visiting us today. You may have heard of some of these stories, but you might find something new, too.
-
-
This is the best
- By Ross Frank on 09-24-19
-
The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs
- A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation (Growing Authors Out of Writers)
- By: John S. Warner
- Narrated by: Angus Freathy
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When you think of unforgettable characters from books you’ve read, who comes to mind? James Bond, Harry Potter, Scarlett O’Hara, Elizabeth Bennett, Atticus Finch, Sherlock Holmes? These are just some of the most iconic characters in fiction. They are so memorable that even decades or centuries later, they still captivate our imagination. But what exactly is it about them that keeps generations so invested in them? Writers apply certain rules and tricks with their characters to make their stories shine. With this guide, you’ll find out exactly what they are.
-
-
Great foundations
- By JB9K on 07-18-24
By: John S. Warner
-
On Writing
- A Memoir of the Craft
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
-
-
Who needs a print edition when King reads King?
- By Cather on 11-18-05
By: Stephen King
-
Story Genius
- How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)
- By: Lisa Cron
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's every novelist's greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page-one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot).
-
-
As a fantasy writer, this book was not for me.
- By Wendy on 01-10-21
By: Lisa Cron
-
The Monsters Know What They’re Doing: Combat Tactics for Dungeon Masters
- The Monsters Know What They’re Doing, Book 1
- By: Keith Ammann
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 25 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Monsters Know What They're Doing, Keith Ammann lightens the DM's burden by helping you understand your monsters' abilities and develop battle plans before your fifth edition D&D game session begins. Just as soldiers don't whip out their field manuals for the first time when they're already under fire, a DM shouldn't wait until the PCs have just encountered a dozen bullywugs to figure out how they advance, fight, and retreat.
-
-
Audible Got this RIGHT - Chapters have names!
- By Lego Man on 02-13-20
By: Keith Ammann
-
Writing Creative Nonfiction
- By: Tilar J J. Mazzeo, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Tilar J J. Mazzeo
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing together the imaginative strategies of fiction storytelling and new ways of narrating true, real-life events, creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing part of the creative writing world. It's a cutting-edge genre that's reshaping how we write (and read) everything from biographies and memoirs to blogs and public speaking scripts to personal essays and magazine articles.
-
-
Not what I expected but useful
- By Nancy on 04-14-14
By: Tilar J J. Mazzeo, and others
-
How to Write Best-Selling Fiction
- By: James Scott Bell, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most people think the way to write a best seller is to have a lot of talent and even more luck. As you will learn, there is a recipe for success, and luck may be the least important ingredient in creating a best seller. No one has cracked the code better than James Scott Bell. A best-selling author himself, and the author of the number-one best seller for writers, Plot & Structure, Mr. Bell has been teaching the principles of best-selling fiction for over 20 years, principles that apply to any genre or style.
-
-
I'm a writer and this course is to blame.
- By accentrique on 07-22-19
By: James Scott Bell, and others
-
Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- By: Blake Snyder
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying.
-
-
Don't waste your time
- By Amazon Customer on 02-05-20
By: Blake Snyder
-
Sly Flourish's Fantastic Locations
- Twenty Fantastic Locations for Your Fantasy Roleplaying Games
- By: Michael E Shea
- Narrated by: Rudy Basso
- Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the hardest parts of game mastering is coming up with interesting adventure locations for our characters to explore. These locations need to be fantastic, detailed places that capture the minds of our players every session we run. Sly Flourish's Fantastic Locations is an audiobook of 20 system-agnostic locations you can drop into your favorite fantasy role-playing game. Each location builds on a fantastic theme, such as a mysterious ancient structure under the ice, a cursed castle of a mad king, or a fallen celestial fortress.
-
-
A Great Idea!
- By Vegveg on 07-26-18
By: Michael E Shea
-
Kobold Guide to Roleplaying
- Kobold Guides
- By: Keith Ammann, Ginny Di, Clint McElroy, and others
- Narrated by: Ray Greenley
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a reason it’s called a tabletop roleplaying game. Taking on the personae of different characters in the story brings a richness and depth to the experience and can make your game sessions exciting and memorable. But how can the poor, harried Game Master wrangle a whole slew of unique personalities on top of all the other work that goes into preparing each week? The Kobold Guide to Roleplaying has the answers you seek.
-
-
Ugh.
- By Michael on 04-17-24
By: Keith Ammann, and others
-
The End Is Always Near
- Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses
- By: Dan Carlin
- Narrated by: Dan Carlin
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The End Is Always Near, Dan Carlin looks at questions and historical events that force us to consider what sounds like fantasy; that we might suffer the same fate that all previous eras did. Will our world ever become a ruin for future archaeologists to dig up and explore? The questions themselves are both philosophical and like something out of The Twilight Zone.
-
-
Hardcore Histories Greatest Hits
- By Steven Glover on 10-31-19
By: Dan Carlin
-
Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
-
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
- By C. Deputy on 06-07-18
By: K.M. Weiland
-
Character
- The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen
- By: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following up his perennially best-selling writers' guide Story and his inspiring exploration of the art of verbal action in Dialogue, the most sought-after expert in the storytelling brings his insights to the creation of compelling characters and the design of their casts. Character explores the design of a character universe: The dimensionality, complexity and arcing of a protagonist, the invention of orbiting major characters, all encircled by a cast of service and supporting roles.
-
-
I question whether Robert wrote it
- By C. Deputy on 06-27-21
By: Robert McKee
-
Structuring Your Novel
- Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
- By: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA Award-winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story's major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel's pacing and progression.
-
-
An Outstanding Resource for Writers
- By Richard Phillips (Bestselling Author of The Rho Agenda) on 02-01-15
By: K. M. Weiland
Related to this topic
-
Kobold Guide to Roleplaying
- Kobold Guides
- By: Keith Ammann, Ginny Di, Clint McElroy, and others
- Narrated by: Ray Greenley
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a reason it’s called a tabletop roleplaying game. Taking on the personae of different characters in the story brings a richness and depth to the experience and can make your game sessions exciting and memorable. But how can the poor, harried Game Master wrangle a whole slew of unique personalities on top of all the other work that goes into preparing each week? The Kobold Guide to Roleplaying has the answers you seek.
-
-
Ugh.
- By Michael on 04-17-24
By: Keith Ammann, and others
-
Bushido: The Samurai Code of Honor
- The Truth About Japanese Samurai Wisdom
- By: James Walker
- Narrated by: Coby Allen
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Experience the fantastic world of the highly-skilled Japanese samurai, and learn the code, or Bushido, that these men followed to live up to honor and loyalty, and discover how you can apply the eight virtues to improve your life in the modern world.
-
-
This is such an awesome book !!!
- By Snyder Kenneth on 05-30-18
By: James Walker
-
Olmecs
- A Captivating Guide to the Earliest Known Major Ancient Civilization in Mexico
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Did you know the Olmecs might have been the first people to introduce writing? The first people who managed to elevate themselves to civilized life were the Olmecs. But they remain relatively unknown. In this new captivating history audiobook, you will discover the truth about the earliest known civilization in America.
-
-
Olmecs
- By Elle on 11-12-18
-
The End Is Always Near
- Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses
- By: Dan Carlin
- Narrated by: Dan Carlin
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The End Is Always Near, Dan Carlin looks at questions and historical events that force us to consider what sounds like fantasy; that we might suffer the same fate that all previous eras did. Will our world ever become a ruin for future archaeologists to dig up and explore? The questions themselves are both philosophical and like something out of The Twilight Zone.
-
-
Hardcore Histories Greatest Hits
- By Steven Glover on 10-31-19
By: Dan Carlin
-
Norse Paganism
- A Comprehensive Guide to Viking History and Culture - Gods, Rituals, Runes & Magic, Afterlife, and the Nine Realms of Norse Mythology
- By: Erik Hansen
- Narrated by: Aries Studio
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Committed to a life of learning and teaching, author Erik Hansen shares his knowledge and passion in this book. As a recognized expert in Norse history and mythology, his interest in this fascinating culture was sparked by his Norwegian ancestry. If you share that passion for ancient history and religion, this book is for you.
-
-
A great introduction to Norse Paganism
- By L.B. on 12-04-22
By: Erik Hansen
-
Humans: A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up
- By: Tom Phillips
- Narrated by: Nish Kumar
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Modern humans have come a long way in the 70,000 years they’ve walked the earth. Art, science, culture, trade - on the evolutionary food chain, we’re true winners. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, and sometimes - just occasionally - we’ve managed to truly f--k things up.
-
-
Doesn’t live up to promise
- By Shirley Y. Thomas on 11-09-19
By: Tom Phillips
-
Kobold Guide to Roleplaying
- Kobold Guides
- By: Keith Ammann, Ginny Di, Clint McElroy, and others
- Narrated by: Ray Greenley
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a reason it’s called a tabletop roleplaying game. Taking on the personae of different characters in the story brings a richness and depth to the experience and can make your game sessions exciting and memorable. But how can the poor, harried Game Master wrangle a whole slew of unique personalities on top of all the other work that goes into preparing each week? The Kobold Guide to Roleplaying has the answers you seek.
-
-
Ugh.
- By Michael on 04-17-24
By: Keith Ammann, and others
-
Bushido: The Samurai Code of Honor
- The Truth About Japanese Samurai Wisdom
- By: James Walker
- Narrated by: Coby Allen
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Experience the fantastic world of the highly-skilled Japanese samurai, and learn the code, or Bushido, that these men followed to live up to honor and loyalty, and discover how you can apply the eight virtues to improve your life in the modern world.
-
-
This is such an awesome book !!!
- By Snyder Kenneth on 05-30-18
By: James Walker
-
Olmecs
- A Captivating Guide to the Earliest Known Major Ancient Civilization in Mexico
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Did you know the Olmecs might have been the first people to introduce writing? The first people who managed to elevate themselves to civilized life were the Olmecs. But they remain relatively unknown. In this new captivating history audiobook, you will discover the truth about the earliest known civilization in America.
-
-
Olmecs
- By Elle on 11-12-18
-
The End Is Always Near
- Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses
- By: Dan Carlin
- Narrated by: Dan Carlin
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The End Is Always Near, Dan Carlin looks at questions and historical events that force us to consider what sounds like fantasy; that we might suffer the same fate that all previous eras did. Will our world ever become a ruin for future archaeologists to dig up and explore? The questions themselves are both philosophical and like something out of The Twilight Zone.
-
-
Hardcore Histories Greatest Hits
- By Steven Glover on 10-31-19
By: Dan Carlin
-
Norse Paganism
- A Comprehensive Guide to Viking History and Culture - Gods, Rituals, Runes & Magic, Afterlife, and the Nine Realms of Norse Mythology
- By: Erik Hansen
- Narrated by: Aries Studio
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Committed to a life of learning and teaching, author Erik Hansen shares his knowledge and passion in this book. As a recognized expert in Norse history and mythology, his interest in this fascinating culture was sparked by his Norwegian ancestry. If you share that passion for ancient history and religion, this book is for you.
-
-
A great introduction to Norse Paganism
- By L.B. on 12-04-22
By: Erik Hansen
-
Humans: A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up
- By: Tom Phillips
- Narrated by: Nish Kumar
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Modern humans have come a long way in the 70,000 years they’ve walked the earth. Art, science, culture, trade - on the evolutionary food chain, we’re true winners. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, and sometimes - just occasionally - we’ve managed to truly f--k things up.
-
-
Doesn’t live up to promise
- By Shirley Y. Thomas on 11-09-19
By: Tom Phillips
-
Nonzero
- The Logic of Human Destiny
- By: Robert Wright
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the beginning of Nonzero, Robert Wright sets out to "define the arrow of the history of life, from the primordial soup to the World Wide Web." Twenty-two chapters later, after a sweeping and vivid narrative of the human past, he has succeeded and has mounted a powerful challenge to the conventional view that evolution and human history are aimless.
-
-
Non-Zero (but pretty close to zero)
- By Douglas on 02-06-14
By: Robert Wright
-
Mesoamerican History: A Captivating Guide to Four Ancient Civilizations That Existed in Mexico
- The Olmec, Zapotec, Maya and Aztec Civilization
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: David Patton, Duke Holm
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you want to discover the captivating history of Mesoamerica, then check out this four-in-one audiobook. You'll learn all about the Olmec, Zapotec, Mayan, and Aztec people.
-
-
Excellent....clear, absorbing.
- By Mu'adh Kameel Bishara on 11-17-18
-
Bronze Age Mindset
- By: Bronze Age Pervert
- Narrated by: Adam Smith
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Some say that this work, found in a safe-box in the port area of Kowloon, was dictated because Bronze Age Pervert refuses to learn what he calls "the low and plebeian art of writing". It isn't known how this work was transcribed. The contents are pure dynamite. He explains that you live in ant farm. That you are observed by the lords of lies, ritually probed. Ancient man had something you have lost: confidence in his instincts and strength, knowledge in his blood. BAP shows how the Bronze Age mind-set can set you free from this iron prison and help you embark on the path of power.
-
-
Mandatory Reading For All Men
- By Anonymous User on 11-20-18
-
Harmony
- A New Way of Looking at Our World
- By: Charles HRH The Prince of Wales
- Narrated by: Charles HRH The Prince of Wales
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time, HRH The Prince of Wales shares his views on how our most pressing modern challenges - from climate change to poverty - are rooted in mankind's disharmony with nature, presenting a compelling case that the solution lies in our ability to regain a balance with the world around us. With its holistic approach, this provocative and well-reasoned book takes the discussion of sustainability and climate change in a new direction.
-
-
An Excellent Exploration
- By Sara on 03-31-16
-
Trekonomics
- The Economics of Star Trek
- By: Manu Saadia
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What would the world look like if everybody had everything they wanted or needed? Trekonomics, the premier book in financial journalist Felix Salmon's imprint PiperText, approaches scarcity economics by coming at it backward - through thinking about a universe where scarcity does not exist. Delving deep into the details and intricacies of 24th-century society, Trekonomics explores post-scarcity and whether we, as humans, are equipped for it.
-
-
An Amusing & Practical Analysis of Fictional Ideas
- By Lost In The Wash on 09-19-16
By: Manu Saadia
-
The Hopi Survival Kit
- The Prophecies, Instructions and Warnings Revealed by the Last Elders
- By: Thomas E. Mails
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Renowned Native American expert Thomas Mails was chosen by the last surviving elders to reveal to the outside world the sacred Hopi prophecy and instructions at precisely the time in history when they are most urgently needed. The Hopi Survival Kit is the first full revelation of traditional Hopi prophecy. Many of its predictions have already been realized, but the most shattering apocalyptic events are still to occur. And though this may be a sobering realization, it is also our best defense.
-
-
A wealth of information
- By Larry Benoit on 03-10-21
By: Thomas E. Mails
-
Sly Flourish's The Lazy Dungeon Master
- By: Michael E. Shea
- Narrated by: Colby Elliott
- Length: 2 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You love Dungeons and Dragons. As an experienced dungeon master, you've run dozens, if not hundreds of games. You put a lot of work into making your games great. What if there's another way to look at how you prepare your game? What if it turned out you could spend less time and less energy and have a better game as a result? It's time to unleash the Lazy Dungeon Master.
-
-
Helpful tips for Dungeon Masters
- By Goblin Town on 05-02-16
By: Michael E. Shea
-
The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight: Revised and Updated
- The Fate of the World and What We Can Do Before It's Too Late
- By: Thom Hartmann, Neale Donald Walsch - associate editor
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 18 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While everything appears to be collapsing around us - ecodamage, genetic engineering, virulent diseases, water shortages, global famine, wars - we can still do something about it and create a world that will work for us and for our children's children. The inspiration for Leonardo DiCaprio's feature documentary movie The 11th Hour, The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight details what is happening to our planet, the reasons for our culture's blind behavior, and how we can fix the problem.
-
-
One of the Most Important Books of our Time
- By Jana on 04-24-20
By: Thom Hartmann, and others
-
The Nutmeg's Curse
- Parables for a Planet in Crisis
- By: Amitav Ghosh
- Narrated by: Sam Dastor
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A powerful work of history, essay, testimony, and polemic, The Nutmeg’s Curse argues that the dynamics of climate change today are rooted in a centuries-old geopolitical order constructed by Western colonialism. At the center of Ghosh’s narrative is the now-ubiquitous spice nutmeg. The history of the nutmeg is one of conquest and exploitation—of both human life and the natural environment. In Ghosh’s hands, the story of the nutmeg becomes a parable for our environmental crisis.
-
-
performance....
- By Bonnie on 11-15-22
By: Amitav Ghosh
-
The Dawn of Everything
- A New History of Humanity
- By: David Graeber, David Wengrow
- Narrated by: Mark Williams
- Length: 24 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A trailblazing account of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the emergence of "the state", political violence, and social inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.
-
-
exactly what I've been looking for
- By DankTurtle on 11-10-21
By: David Graeber, and others
-
Everything All at Once
- How to Unleash Your Inner Nerd, Tap into Radical Curiosity and Solve Any Problem
- By: Bill Nye
- Narrated by: Bill Nye
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everything All at Once is an exciting, inspiring call to unleash the power of the nerd mindset that exists within us all. Nye believes we'll never be able to tackle our society's biggest, most complex problems if we don't even know how to solve the small ones. Step by step, he shows his listeners the key tools behind his everything-all-at-once approach: radical curiosity, a deep desire for a better future, and a willingness to take the actions needed to make it a reality.
-
-
Bill Nye is awesome, but skip this one
- By Evan on 08-15-17
By: Bill Nye
-
Deep Truth
- Igniting the Memory of Our Origin, History, Destiny, and Fate
- By: Gregg Braden
- Narrated by: Gregg Braden
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A new world is emerging before our eyes, while the unsustainable world of the past struggles to continue. Both worlds reflect the beliefs of our past. Both exist - but only for now. Which world do you choose? Best-selling author and visionary scientist Gregg Braden suggests that the hottest issues that divide us as families, nations, and civilizations-seemingly separate concerns such as war, terror, abortion, suicide, genocide, the death penalty, poverty, economic collapse, and nuclear war - are actually related.
-
-
Good Information
- By David on 08-13-12
By: Gregg Braden
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
On Writing and Worldbuilding - Volume I
- By: Timothy Hickson
- Narrated by: Larissa Thompson, Merphy Napier
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing advice tends to be full of "rules" and "tips" which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire.
-
-
all hail mishka
- By M. M. on 03-25-21
By: Timothy Hickson
-
Kobold Guide to Roleplaying
- Kobold Guides
- By: Keith Ammann, Ginny Di, Clint McElroy, and others
- Narrated by: Ray Greenley
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a reason it’s called a tabletop roleplaying game. Taking on the personae of different characters in the story brings a richness and depth to the experience and can make your game sessions exciting and memorable. But how can the poor, harried Game Master wrangle a whole slew of unique personalities on top of all the other work that goes into preparing each week? The Kobold Guide to Roleplaying has the answers you seek.
-
-
Ugh.
- By Michael on 04-17-24
By: Keith Ammann, and others
-
Creating Life
- The Art of World Building, Volume 1
- By: Randy Ellefson
- Narrated by: Randy Ellefson
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Creating a unique, immersive setting one life form at a time. This book is a detailed how-to guide on inventing the heart of every imaginary world - life. With chapters on creating gods, species/races, plants, animals, monsters, heroes, villains, and even undead, it draws on the author's quarter century of world building experience. Pointed questions, and an examination of answers and their repercussions, will help readers decide on goals, how to reach them, and whether they are even worth pursuing.
-
-
oh God don't let this guy read his books anymore!
- By Scott Fowler on 07-22-20
By: Randy Ellefson
-
Worldbuilding for Fantasy Fans and Authors
- Forging Fantasy Realms, Book 1
- By: M.D. Presley
- Narrated by: Zac Katz-Stein
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Be you an established planner, pantser, or unsure new author, this comprehensive guide has you covered. Adopting a "tools not rules" approach, you’ll discover dozens of definitive worldbuilding tricks and strategies, including surveys showing what audiences want; identifying ineffective, effective, and inspired worldbuilding; the ins and outs of immersion; enhancing audience experience with fantasy conceits; and the four Cs of worldbuilding.
-
-
Stick to storytelling, not audience reaction
- By Historian1912 on 10-12-23
By: M.D. Presley
-
Writing Archetypal Character Arcs
- The Hero's Journey and Beyond (Helping Writers Become Authors, Book 11)
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ready to take your story's character arcs and themes to the next level? This latest book from veteran writing teacher and story theorist K.M. Weiland ventures far beyond the popular and pervasive Hero's Journey to explore six important archetypal character arcs, representing key moments of initiation in the human experience.
-
-
Outstanding resource for fiction writers
- By dragonfly99 on 05-25-24
By: K.M. Weiland
-
The Science of Storytelling
- By: Will Storr
- Narrated by: James Clamp
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do master storytellers compel us? There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story, but few have used a scientific approach. In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can tell better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers - and also our brains - create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change.
-
-
A great portal into human psychology
- By Stephanie Romer on 02-13-21
By: Will Storr
-
On Writing and Worldbuilding - Volume I
- By: Timothy Hickson
- Narrated by: Larissa Thompson, Merphy Napier
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing advice tends to be full of "rules" and "tips" which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire.
-
-
all hail mishka
- By M. M. on 03-25-21
By: Timothy Hickson
-
Kobold Guide to Roleplaying
- Kobold Guides
- By: Keith Ammann, Ginny Di, Clint McElroy, and others
- Narrated by: Ray Greenley
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a reason it’s called a tabletop roleplaying game. Taking on the personae of different characters in the story brings a richness and depth to the experience and can make your game sessions exciting and memorable. But how can the poor, harried Game Master wrangle a whole slew of unique personalities on top of all the other work that goes into preparing each week? The Kobold Guide to Roleplaying has the answers you seek.
-
-
Ugh.
- By Michael on 04-17-24
By: Keith Ammann, and others
-
Creating Life
- The Art of World Building, Volume 1
- By: Randy Ellefson
- Narrated by: Randy Ellefson
- Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Creating a unique, immersive setting one life form at a time. This book is a detailed how-to guide on inventing the heart of every imaginary world - life. With chapters on creating gods, species/races, plants, animals, monsters, heroes, villains, and even undead, it draws on the author's quarter century of world building experience. Pointed questions, and an examination of answers and their repercussions, will help readers decide on goals, how to reach them, and whether they are even worth pursuing.
-
-
oh God don't let this guy read his books anymore!
- By Scott Fowler on 07-22-20
By: Randy Ellefson
-
Worldbuilding for Fantasy Fans and Authors
- Forging Fantasy Realms, Book 1
- By: M.D. Presley
- Narrated by: Zac Katz-Stein
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Be you an established planner, pantser, or unsure new author, this comprehensive guide has you covered. Adopting a "tools not rules" approach, you’ll discover dozens of definitive worldbuilding tricks and strategies, including surveys showing what audiences want; identifying ineffective, effective, and inspired worldbuilding; the ins and outs of immersion; enhancing audience experience with fantasy conceits; and the four Cs of worldbuilding.
-
-
Stick to storytelling, not audience reaction
- By Historian1912 on 10-12-23
By: M.D. Presley
-
Writing Archetypal Character Arcs
- The Hero's Journey and Beyond (Helping Writers Become Authors, Book 11)
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ready to take your story's character arcs and themes to the next level? This latest book from veteran writing teacher and story theorist K.M. Weiland ventures far beyond the popular and pervasive Hero's Journey to explore six important archetypal character arcs, representing key moments of initiation in the human experience.
-
-
Outstanding resource for fiction writers
- By dragonfly99 on 05-25-24
By: K.M. Weiland
-
The Science of Storytelling
- By: Will Storr
- Narrated by: James Clamp
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do master storytellers compel us? There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story, but few have used a scientific approach. In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can tell better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers - and also our brains - create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change.
-
-
A great portal into human psychology
- By Stephanie Romer on 02-13-21
By: Will Storr
-
Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- By: Blake Snyder
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying.
-
-
Don't waste your time
- By Amazon Customer on 02-05-20
By: Blake Snyder
-
The Secrets of Character
- Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love
- By: Matt Bird
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character—specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the audience's precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres.
-
-
Leave politics out of it.
- By LKC on 08-22-23
By: Matt Bird
-
Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- By: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
-
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
- By C. Deputy on 06-07-18
By: K.M. Weiland
-
How to Write Dazzling Dialogue
- The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is one sure-fire way of improving your novel fast...You may know the fundamentals of how to write fiction. You may be more than competent in plot, structure and characters. But if your dialogue is dull it will drag the whole story down...Don't sabotage your chances of selling your work to readers or publishers because the dialogue is unexceptional. Dazzle them with what the characters say. How to Write Dazzling Dialogue will give you the tools to do it.
-
-
Good course, subpar audio quality
- By Andrew Wadsworth on 03-21-20
By: James Scott Bell
-
Kill the Dog
- The First Book on Screenwriting to Tell You the Truth
- By: Paul Guyot
- Narrated by: Paul Guyot
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every aspect of screenwriting is covered with an authority and credibility never seen in any book to come before. Told with honesty, humor, and vulnerability from the real-world perspective of a working, professional screenwriter, Kill the Dog reveals the secrets of what it takes to have a successful career as a Hollywood screenwriter.
-
-
Not a lot learned. Here's a summary.
- By Samuel D R on 01-28-24
By: Paul Guyot
-
The Secrets to Creating Character Arcs
- A Fiction Writer's Guide to Masterful Character Creation (Growing Authors Out of Writers)
- By: John S. Warner
- Narrated by: Angus Freathy
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When you think of unforgettable characters from books you’ve read, who comes to mind? James Bond, Harry Potter, Scarlett O’Hara, Elizabeth Bennett, Atticus Finch, Sherlock Holmes? These are just some of the most iconic characters in fiction. They are so memorable that even decades or centuries later, they still captivate our imagination. But what exactly is it about them that keeps generations so invested in them? Writers apply certain rules and tricks with their characters to make their stories shine. With this guide, you’ll find out exactly what they are.
-
-
Great foundations
- By JB9K on 07-18-24
By: John S. Warner
What listeners say about The Complete Art of World Building
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lee Powell
- 08-18-23
It really comes down to quality control.
It comes down to a professional should have read this. It felt like it was being read word by word and any emotion or emphasis only built toward the end of each sentence and then dropped off hard at the end.
This would have really been improved by just hiring someone to read it.
I'm really not trying to be mean but it was rough when a few times common words were mispronounced because they were read by individual syllables.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- meeeeee23
- 10-22-23
Valuable Ideas on Worldbuilding.
These books helped me to consider things I never would have. This will make my world building/stories for my games so much better. I thought his narration was fine personally. That other review is unjustified imo, considering how good of a deal this bundle is getting all 3 books in one and all the amazing info. His narration isn't perfect, but it never bothered me any. Great books!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!